John Kirkegaard awarded a grains research bursary

Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), northern panel chair, John Minogue presents CSIRO chief research scientist, Dr John Kirkegaard with the GRDC Recognising and Rewarding Excellence Award during the GRDC update dinner in Dubbo.

FARMING systems research is pivotal to the current and future profitability of farmers.

Supporting this, the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC) last week awarded an expert in the field, CSIRO chief research scientist, Dr John Kirkegaard, the Recognising and Rewarding Excellence Award.

Presenting the award at the GRDC update in Dubbo, NSW, GRDC northern panel chair, John Minogue said Dr Kirkegaard was widely renowned for his outstanding ability to develop practical and effective crop management packages.

“Dr Kirkegaard has the ability to take high level research learnings and distil them into practical advice and recommendations,” he said.

“To help growers manage their farming systems more sustainably and more profitably.”

Mr Minogue said the award includes a travel bursary, with the aim of extending the professional networks and collaborative research opportunities of key Australian research scientists for the benefit of the wider grains industry.

“Like many of our pre-eminent scientists, Dr Kirkegaard has embraced opportunities to foster industry networks and collaborative research opportunities over the years both within Australia and internationally,” he said.

“The GRDC Recognising and Rewarding Excellence Award will help strengthen those alliances for the future benefit of our grains industry.”

Dr Kirkegaard is a graduate of the University of Queensland and joined the CSIRO as a research scientist in 1990.

Over the years his research interests have included a focus on dryland mixed farming, agronomy and root-soil interactions.

Dr Kirkegaard is a previous recipient of the Eureka prize for Sustainable Agriculture and the GRDC Seed of Light for contributions to communicating research to industry.